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Vietnam, official jailed over “family of heroes” eviction

The court of Tien Lang has sentenced Nguyen Van Khanh, vice-president of the district to 30 months in prison, for the destruction of property. It is one of the rare cases of an indictment of local authorities guilty of abuse. However, according to Van Vuon’s wife he is just a scapegoat and the real perpetrators have gone unpunished.

Hanoi (AsiaNews
/ Agencies) - A Vietnamese court has sentenced a government official him to 30
months in prison for ordering the eviction of Peter
Doan Van Vuon, leader of the " family of heroes", who became a
national symbol of the fight against forced evictions following his arrest. At
the same time, the courts have imposed a sentence (suspended) on four other
people for their involvemnet in carrying out the orders of the Tien Lang authorities - Hai Phong District, a
port city in the north-east of Vietnam - against the
Vuon family. The
sentencing of government officials, although local, and most importantly for
violating the rights of citizens, is a rare event in the country. However,
the wife of the leader of the "family of heroes" is
"dissatisfied" by the "mildness" of the charge says she
will appeal it.

Peter Doan Van
Vuon, a 50 year-old former soldier, is now a national icon in the struggle for
the rights of the population, including land rights in Vietnam. He
also received the support of the bishops, who launched a campaign to raise
awareness about his case. In
recent days, he was sentenced to five years in prison on charges of attempted
murder. At
the time of the eviction, he opened fire on officers called upon to enforce the
authorities' orders, injuring seven people. His
plea of legitimate defense went unheard.

Nguyen Van
Khanh, vice-president of the district of Tien Lang was sentenced April 10. He wiill have to serve 30 months in prison
for destruction of property. However,
according to some he is just the scapegoat, while the real culprits who
orchestrated the operation are others who have managed to avoid prison
sentences. Among
them; Le Van Hien, former district president, and Hoan Pham Dang, former
secretary of the party in the village of Vinh Quang. While
condemning them to a few months in jail, the judges gave them a suspended
sentence.

And it was
Vuon's wife, Nguyen Thi Thuong, to highlight the sham nature of the trial and paltry
and unfair convictions handed down to the real perpetrators of the assault on
the family. The
woman has promised to appeal. Frustrations
were further exacerbated by the behavior of the authorities in the dock,
arrogantly sure of a favorable outcome to their trial. Two
of the defendants, "were laughing", eyewitnesses told, and stated
without fear of "having bribed the authorities judging their case."